Cot.



A. E. Gosso.

GOT.

APPLICATION FILED 321mm. 1912.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914 ALTON E. GOSSO, QF CHIICAGQ, ILLINOIS.

COT.

specification pf'Letter raamt.y Patented Man 10, 1914 Application 111ML September 12', 1912. Serial Nu. 71:9;941.

To all ltvhom it may concern:

Be 1t known thatT, ALTON E. Grosso, a citizen of the United States, residing at 164 North. Central avenue, Austin Station, Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in Cots, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as cots 0r beds, and relates particularly to a suitable cot andresilient adjustable supporting means therefor, for use wherever found applicable.

rllhe present invention is ysomewhat in the nature of an improvement over the adjustable folding sprin cot shown in my pending application, Serial No. 654,347, led October 12, 1911, the same being more convenient and satisfactory for some of the uses set forth in that application.

'lhe present device is particularly adapted for v,use on common carriers, such as railway trains, boats and the like, and on ambulances, police patrols, and similar places, for caring for the sick and injured. lt is also particularly adapted for military uses, either on the field or for emergency hospit-als, or on trains or boats transporting troops. By the employment of one or a number of the devices, ordinary boX cars. baggage cars, boats, warehouses, or any other place suitable for a shelter, may be readily and comfortably converted into a suitable habitation for housing any number ot' persons, either in an emergency or for a considerable length of time. Any common carrier may be easily equipped, so that Vwhenever occasion requlres, as for instance on excursions, more bunks or berths, they may be quickly provided and placedl in position. Owing to the particularly convenient form of supports, the occupant of the cot is not only comfort-ably supported, but a considerable number of persons may, in an emergency, be gathered in small space.

To this end my' invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts-Figure 1 is substantially a perspective and vertical sectional view of my device applied to a railway car. Fig. 2 1s an enlarged view of the upper portion of one of the supporting members. Fig. 3 is a similar 'view of the lower portion of the same. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the bed or stretcher part; and Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of one ofthe side bars.

' Referring to the drawings, the stretcher or bed part consists of a pan' of side bars 1, 1, of any suitable material, as shown, tubular metal bars. Arranged upon and carried by the bars is a carrier 2 of canvas or other suitable material, the same being turned back as at 3 ('see Fig. 5) and sewed or otherwise secured so that in folding the side bars 1, 1 may be withdrawn if desired.. When in use the side bars 1, 1 are spaced and maintained in the proper relation to each other by a spacer bar 4 arranged at each end and suitably secured to the side bars. As shown, the spacer bars 4:' are each provided with a ring-shaped member 5 at each end of a size to slip over the bars 1.

The bed or stretcher part just described is supported by springs G, there being one arranged at each corner. rlhe springs G are provided with hooks 7 adapted to engage suitable supports and hooks 8 adapted tocarry the bed or stretcher part. Refer* ring particularly to Fig. 5 in which the saine is most clearlyshown, the bars l are provided at each end with holes or openings 9. Extending through eachv of the holes is a looped' wire or equivalent' part 10 having an eye 11 for engagement with the hook 8 on the spring 6. The free ends 12 transversely bars 1 or longitudinally the same, as may be desired to engage the fbars. As shown they are bent transversely the bars and support the same when the bars are carried by the hooks 8 engaging the eyes 11. The parte 10 are also preferably slightly bent or offset as at 14 so as to engage the sides ofthe lower hole 9 and prevent the eye members from slipping through the bars and becoming lost when the hooks 8 are disengaged.

Referring to Fig. 1, l5 represents a car roof or equivalent support provided with eyes or hooks 16 and 17 represents a car floor or the equivalent provided with eyes or rings 18 or their equivalent. The cots or stretchers may be supported singly or in tiers, as shown in Fig. 1. As shown there are four hooks 16 and tour rings 18 for each so 'I of the parts 10 are preferably bent or oiiset I cot or tier of cots. Carried by each of the hooks 16 is a chain 19, 20, the two parts being preferably joined by a spring member 21 which serves as a shock absorber and Valso maintains the chains taut. The chains are connected to the eyes or rings 16 and 18 by hooks 22 and Q3 or their equivalents for the purpose. In setting u the beds the hooks 7 on springs 6 may be hooked into any of the links of the supporting chains so asl to support the cots at the desired heights from the floor, and by this construction the cots may be inclined or arranged in any desired way, depending upon the use to which they are put.

I have particularly illustrated and described the device appliedto a railway car, such as a baggage car, but it may, of course be applied to freight cars, on boats or steamers, or in camps, or ywherever desired. Its use is not confined entirely to the handling ofsick or injured, or for military purposes,

as it is equally applicable and convenient for the housing of laborers or construction gangs, and in this connection I would particularly mention that it is very sanitary and desirable for the accommodation of section gangs employed in railway construction work. When so used it takes the place of the very insanitary permanent bunks, cots or other beds. Vermin or harmful germs may be easily and quickly removed by taking down the devices, washing or otherwise cleaning the canvas carriers, and treating or washing the supports, bars, spreaders, etc. The importance of this cannot be overestimated. When used on conveyances any vibration in transit or owing to stopping or starting is avoided by the use of the shock absorbers 21. y

IVhen the device is not desired, it may be unhooked from the floor or ceiling, folded in a compact -bundle and stowed away.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish ,to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction, arrangement or combination 'of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a plurality of supporting members, a depending chain carried by each part and detachable therefrom, means for yieldingly securing the depending ends ofl each of said chains a suitable lbed part and means for adjustably, detachably and resiliently securing said bed part to each of \said chains.

2. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a plurality of supporting members, a depending chain carried by each member and detachable therefrom, means for securing the depending ends of each of said chains, a spring for each chain, each spring provided with means for detachably and adjustably engaging the chain, and a bed part detachably carried by said springs.

3. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a plurality of suitable supporting members arranged for attachment to a fixed support, a flexible member secured to said supporting members, means forsecur'ing the depending ends of said flexlble members to the floor of the structure, and a bed comprising a pair of side bars, a carrier secured thereto and means for resiliently securing said .side bars to said iexible members at the desired point between the floor and said flexible member supports.

4. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a. plurality of supporting members arranged to be secured to the ceiling of a suitable structure, a chain detachably secured to said supporting members and depending therefrom, a spring arranged proximate 4the lower end of each of said chains, means for detachably securing said springs to the floor of thestructure, and a bed part resiliently secured to said chains and detachable therefrom.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subseribing witnesses.

ALToN E. eosso.

IlVitnesses ROY W. HILL, CHARLES I. COBB. 

